# James Vanderbilt

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American filmmaker (born 1975)

James Vanderbilt Vanderbilt at the 2025 Zurich Film Festival Born James Platten Vanderbilt November 17, 1975 (1975-11-17) (age 50) Alma mater University of Southern California Occupations Screenwriter director producer Spouse Amber Freeman ​ (m. 2005)​ [1] Children 2 Father Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III Relatives Vanderbilt family

**James Platten Vanderbilt** (born November 17, 1975) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer.[2][3] He is best known for writing the films *[Zodiac](/source/Zodiac_(film))* (2007),[4] *[The Amazing Spider-Man](/source/The_Amazing_Spider-Man_(film))* (2012) and its [2014 sequel](/source/The_Amazing_Spider-Man_2), and *[Independence Day: Resurgence](/source/Independence_Day%3A_Resurgence)* (2016). He also co-wrote, produced, and co-story *[Scream](/source/Scream_(2022_film))* (2022), its [2023 sequel](/source/Scream_VI) and its [2026 sequel](/source/Scream_7). Vanderbilt also contributed as producer for several films, including *[The House with a Clock in Its Walls](/source/The_House_with_a_Clock_in_Its_Walls_(film))* (2018), *[Ready or Not](/source/Ready_or_Not_(2019_film))* (2019) and *[Ready or Not 2: Here I Come](/source/Ready_or_Not_2%3A_Here_I_Come)* (2026).

## Early life and education

A member of the [Vanderbilt family](/source/Vanderbilt_family) of New York, James is the son of Alison Campbell (*née* Platten) and [Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III](/source/Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt_III).[5] His paternal great-grandfather [Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Sr.](/source/Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt_Sr.) died on the [RMS *Lusitania*](/source/RMS_Lusitania) in the [1915 sinking](/source/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Lusitania), his paternal grandfather, [Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr.](/source/Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt_Jr.), once chaired the [New York Racing Association](/source/New_York_Racing_Association), and his maternal grandfather, Donald Campbell Platten, was the chief executive and chairman of [Chemical Bank](/source/Chemical_Bank).[1][2][6] Journalist [Anderson Cooper](/source/Anderson_Cooper) is his second cousin.

Vanderbilt was raised in [Norwalk, Connecticut](/source/Norwalk%2C_Connecticut), and attended school at [New Canaan Country School](/source/New_Canaan_Country_School).[7] He is a graduate of [St. Paul's School](/source/St._Paul's_School_(Concord%2C_NH)) and the [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California).[1]

## Career

His production company, Mythology Entertainment, started in 2011.[8] It was later reincorporated into Project X Entertainment as of 2019.[9]

In May 2016, Mythology acquired intellectual property rights to [Slender Man](/source/Slender_Man) from the character's creator Eric Knudsen.[10] Vanderbilt later produced a [film adaptation of the character](/source/Slender_Man_(film)) in 2018.

In 2020, Vanderbilt co-wrote the script for the [fifth installment](/source/Scream_(2022_film)) of the [*Scream* franchise](/source/Scream_(franchise)), starring [Neve Campbell](/source/Neve_Campbell), [David Arquette](/source/David_Arquette), [Courteney Cox](/source/Courteney_Cox), [Melissa Barrera](/source/Melissa_Barrera), [Jenna Ortega](/source/Jenna_Ortega), [Jack Quaid](/source/Jack_Quaid), [Marley Shelton](/source/Marley_Shelton), [Dylan Minnette](/source/Dylan_Minnette), [Mason Gooding](/source/Mason_Gooding), [Kyle Gallner](/source/Kyle_Gallner), [Jasmin Savoy Brown](/source/Jasmin_Savoy_Brown), [Mikey Madison](/source/Mikey_Madison) and [Sonia Ben Ammar](/source/Sonia_Ben_Ammar).[11] The film was released on January 14, 2022.[12][13] Vanderbilt's most recent project, *[Nuremberg](/source/Nuremberg_(2025_film))*, is about the [Nuremberg trials](/source/Nuremberg_trials) and was released on November 7, 2025.[14]

## Personal life

Vanderbilt has been married to Amber Freeman since 2005, the couple has two children together; Jack and Charles.[15]

## Filmography

Year Title Writer Producer Director Notes 2003 Darkness Falls Yes No Jonathan Liebesman Basic Yes Yes John McTiernan The Rundown Yes No Peter Berg 2007 Zodiac Yes Yes David Fincher 2010 The Losers Yes No Sylvain White 2012 The Amazing Spider-Man Yes No Marc Webb 2013 White House Down Yes Yes Roland Emmerich 2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Story No Marc Webb 2015 Truth Yes Yes Himself Directorial debut 2016 Independence Day: Resurgence Yes No Roland Emmerich 2018 Slender Man No Yes Sylvain White The House with a Clock in Its Walls No Yes Eli Roth 2019 Murder Mystery Yes Yes Kyle Newacheck Ready or Not No Yes Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett Cameo, Mr. Le Bail 2022 Scream Yes Yes Ambulance No Yes Michael Bay Bed Rest No Yes Lori Evans Taylor 2023 Scream VI Yes Yes Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett Murder Mystery 2 Yes Yes Jeremy Garelick 2024 Abigail No Yes Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett 2025 Fountain of Youth Yes Yes Guy Ritchie Nuremberg Yes Yes Himself 2026 Scream 7 Story Yes Kevin Williamson Ready or Not 2: Here I Come No Yes Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett Cameo, Mr. Le Bail TBA White Elephant No Yes Eli Craig

**Executive producer**

- *[Altered Carbon](/source/Altered_Carbon_(TV_series))* (2018)

- *[Suspiria](/source/Suspiria_(2018_film))* (2018)

- *[American Dream/American Knightmare](/source/American_Dream%2FAmerican_Knightmare)* (2018)

- *[The Night Agent](/source/The_Night_Agent)* (2023)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nytimes05_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nytimes05_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-nytimes05_1-2) Saroyan, Strawberry (May 22, 2005). ["Amber Freeman and Jamie Vanderbilt"](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/22/fashion/weddings/22vows.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nytimes75_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nytimes75_2-1) Johnston, Laure (December 6, 1975). ["Notes on People"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40A11F73D5C1A7493C4A91789D95F418785F9). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved June 4, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Sps.edu"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151004030321/http://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=112277). Archived from [the original](http://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=112277) on October 4, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["James Vanderbilt goes back in time for David Fincher's Zodiac"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070821080147/http://www.moviemaker.com/hop/editorial.php?id=461). *www.moviemaker.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.moviemaker.com/hop/editorial.php?id=461) on August 21, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Familytreemaker.genealogy.com](http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/o/s/Jeanann-Goss/ODT2-0332.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Barron, James (August 27, 1991). ["Donald C. Platten, Ex-Chairman Of Chemical Bank, Is Dead at 72"](https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/27/nyregion/donald-c-platten-ex-chairman-of-chemical-bank-is-dead-at-72.html?pagewanted=1?pagewanted=1). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Hersam Acorn Newspapers Archives"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190420/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=HANP&p_multi=NCAB&p_theme=hanp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10DE8FD214CCDB3D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM). *The [New Canaan Advertiser](/source/New_Canaan_Advertiser)*. May 5, 2005. Archived from [the original](http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=HANP&p_multi=NCAB&p_theme=hanp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10DE8FD214CCDB3D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 18, 2011). ["Phoenix Co-President Bradley Fischer Forms Mythology With Scribes Laeta Kalogridis And James Vanderbilt"](https://deadline.com/2011/11/phoenix-co-president-bradley-fischer-forms-mythology-with-scribes-laeta-kalogridis-and-james-vanderbilt-196642/). *Deadline*. Retrieved October 15, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 30, 2019). ["James Vanderbilt, William Sherak & Paul Neinstein Launch Project X Entertainment With Spyglass Deal"](https://deadline.com/2019/10/project-x-entertainment-spyglass-media-group-james-vanderbilt-william-sherak-paul-neinstein-1202772699/). *Deadline*. Retrieved October 15, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Rogers, Katie (May 6, 2016). ["'Slender Man,' a Horror Meme, Gets Ready to Step Out of the Shadows"](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/movies/slender-man-a-horror-meme-gets-ready-to-step-out-of-the-shadows.html?_r=0). *The New York Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 18, 2020). ["*Scream*: David Arquette Returning As Dewey Riley In Spyglass Media Group Reboot"](https://deadline.com/2020/05/scream-david-arquette-cast-in-sequel-spyglass-media-group-1202937288/). *[Deadline Hollywood](/source/Deadline_Hollywood)*. Retrieved July 4, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Miska, Brad (August 28, 2020). ["Relaunch of 'Scream' Slashing Into Theaters on January 14, 2022!"](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3629595/scream-5-slashing-theaters-january-14-2022/). *BloodyDisgusting*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Kroll, Justin (June 24, 2020). ["New *Scream* Movie From Spyglass Media Will Be Released by Paramount (EXCLUSIVE)"](https://variety.com/2020/film/news/paramount-and-spyglass-scream-1234648119/). *Variety*. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Brew, Caroline (December 7, 2023). ["Russell Crowe, Rami Malek and Michael Shannon to Star in Nazi Drama 'Nuremberg'"](https://variety.com/2023/film/news/russell-crowe-rami-malek-michael-shannon-nuremberg-1235827513/). *Variety*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Allan Freeman Obituary (2014) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times"](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/allan-freeman-obituary?id=17405532). *Legacy.com*. Retrieved November 18, 2025.

## External links

- [James Vanderbilt](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0888743/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [James Vanderbilt interview in Creative Screenwriting Magazine](https://creativescreenwritingmagazine.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Vanderbilt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Vanderbilt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Vanderbilt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.